Noodling is a way to catch flathead catfish with your hands without any bait. Flathead catfish hide out during the day in caves made in clay riverbanks, under rock cover, and under fallen trees. These flatheads defend their holes and will instinctively strike at anything entering their holes.
The first step in noodling is finding a hole. As a general rule, find a hole that turns down deeper into the water. A hole that turns upward out of the water is likely to have a snake, turtle, or beaver in it as they breath air. Be careful and go with someone experienced. Most noodlers wear gloves because flathead catfish have many small teeth that will rip the skin on your arm.
After identifying a hole with a flathead, stick your arm into the entrance. When the fish strikes you want to use your fingers to grab the gills and then bring the fish to the surface. Have a friend next to you when doing this and be careful to watch out for things that could catch your clothes. Also beware of rocks that can shift and pin you down.
There are many great resources on the web to learn more about noodling.
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